Australia's aviation authorities have turned the spotlight on general aviation safety after a study by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found the country's GA sector has a fatal accident rate per million departures 3.5 times higher than for air transport and a general accident rate that is 2.7 times higher.
The ATSB found that between 2001 and 2010 there were 147 fatal accidents and 236 people killed in Australia's GA sector.
Of all GA groups, private/business flying has the highest accident and fatal accident rate and the greatest number of fatalities - 135 between 2001 and 2010 - followed by aerial work and flying training.
The ATSB says that in aerial work, the accident and fatal accident rate is similar for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, while in flying training and private operations, helicopters have a higher accident rate but a smaller number of fatalities.
The bureau found that when GA aircraft were involved in accidents and serious incidents, the top five most frequent events were collisions with terrain, aircraft control issues, powerplant and propulsion, aircraft separation and runway events.
In contrast to the findings, no fatal accidents were recorded during the same period in high-capacity air transport, with most accidents in air transport involving charter operations.
In 2010, there was one fatal accident in low-capacity air transport, while charter operations recorded none.
The top five most frequent events for air transport relating to accidents and serious incidents in 2010 were aircraft separation, aircraft control, powerplant and propulsion systems, miscellaneous events, terrain collisions, runway events and ground operations. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority said the GA sector had been given a sober warning in the report's results and, as a result, the ATSB is producing a series of publications highlighting GA safety issues.
Last month, for example, the ATSB, in conjunction with the Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia, released an educational booklet highlighting recent wire-strike accidents during spraying operations and highlighting ways to minimise the risk of striking a power line.
More than 180 wire-strike accidents have been reported to the ATSB during the past 10 years, the bureau said.
Source: Flight International
